


You Were The Last Good Thing About This Part Of Town

by dei-chan (skyvein)



Series: MakoRin Week 2015 [1]
Category: Free!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Future Fish, M/M, MakoRin Week, Me flailing with words, fluff kind of, slight language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-16
Updated: 2015-12-16
Packaged: 2018-05-07 02:16:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,195
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5439728
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/skyvein/pseuds/dei-chan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rin's never been one to believe in the notion of love at first sight, but this boy smiles like a daydream and now Rin is pretty darn sure that he can come close to, at least.<br/>//or//<br/>In which Makoto is new and lost, and Rin is a policeman who's trying really hard to give a shit about clueless newbies and purse-losing grandmas in a tiny town.</p>
            </blockquote>





	You Were The Last Good Thing About This Part Of Town

"Um…hi. I'm new to town, and I'm kind of lost."  
The first thing Rin registers is that _damn the guy at the counter has green eyes_.   
Like really, _really_ green eyes that normal people wouldn't have the luck to _just_ chance upon—the kind of fresh green that would hit you like a speeding truck going a thousand miles per hour, knocking you right off your feet and against the brick wall; steal the bruising breath from your lips like copper pennies from a blind man's pocket.  
He's faintly aware of himself licking his lips, reaching under the table to draw out a crinkled map, as the voices in his head chant in synchrony, "Green eyes, green eyes, really-really-frickin'-green eyes".    
"Yes. Um. Here." _God_ , it's like his ability to pronounce words has regressed pathetically, leaving him to gabble in syllables of a foreign tongue.   
Mr. Very Green Eyes blinks up at him, angling his head ever-so-slightly, ever-so-gently to the left – in a dainty way that _had_ to be impossible for people his build – as he voices, "Well, I already have a map." Raising the map that had been clenched in his fist a moment ago, he continues, smiling, "See?"  
 _Jesus_. Rin's never been one to believe in the notion of love at first sight, but this boy smiles like a daydream and now Rin is pretty darn sure that he can come close to, at least.  
"Right." Rin garbles, and thinks to himself that he _really_ needs to get away before he blushes himself into an early grave—because goddamnit, a smile like that had to be a crime. "Er. One moment. I'll go um, grab our resident map-reading expert. He'll sort you out."  
Stumbling back into the office, he tugs on the sleeve of the first person he sees – coincidentally his snoozing partner – gesturing vaguely towards the still-waiting male at the counter, and sinks into his chair, feeling very much screwed.  
Blinking groggily at him, Sousuke draws himself up from his cozy seat. He downs the remainder of his coffee – extra-dark, _yuck_ – before wandering out. There's a bit of silence as Rin waits, occasionally interrupted by the mild exchange going on outside. Rin covers his eyes with the back of his hand and groans out-loud, pretending not to hear the suppressed noise of curiosity many desks behind him—Seijuro, no doubt.   
Finished, Sousuke wanders back in again, leaning against the door as he begins—in a knowing voice that was equal parts amused and exasperated, "Resident map-reading expert? _Really_?"  
"You could use some practice."  
"Are you _sure_ you want to put me in charge of a map? We'll both end up in Egypt or something, you know."  
Rin makes a strangled sound that was supposed to be "I can't deal with this."  
"What, you got the hots for the lost soul standing outside and now you don't have the guts to bring him around? Pathetic." Sousuke remarks, reading Rin’s mind the way he always does, and sounding very much pleased with himself.  
"Shut _up_." Rin grouses.  
All the way across the room (and with completely no part in the conversation, dammit), Seijuro takes the initiative to comment from his too-small cubicle, a winning grin on his face like frickin' sunshine and manly sparkles, "Oi, be a man and help that lost soul, Matsuoka!"  
Rin peeks from behind his fingers, a sigh leaving his lips and he forces out a muffled "Do I have to?" that was very much riddled with loathing undertones of _fuck you all very much_ and _fuck this life_.  
"I'm your big boss. Plus, you don't have anything to do anyway, do you?" Seijuro says critically.   
"Uh," Rin starts, pulling out the pile of overdue paperwork that he's probably never going to finish, then blanching when he realises that they have already been filled up and stamped accordingly. He really needs to remember to treat Ai someday.  
"Do you?" his big boss presses, and Rin sighs, surrendering to his sad fate.

* * *

"Oh. Hello again." is how he is greeted, as he drags his suffering soul back outside to meet the man once more.   
Mr-Very-Green-Eyes sounds so _pleased_ to see him again—there is a bubbly edge to his voice which presence Rin cannot even _begin_ to fathom.  
"Yes. Hi." he states, still slapping himself in his mind, and stops short of actually slamming his head on the wall because the brunette gives him the happiest look on earth right then, pointing to a spot on his huge map and smiling like the world is made from marshmallows. Rin squints, bending down, and identifies the spot tucked somewhere between streets that he vaguely knows. It should be a piece of cake.  
"Here." Mr Green-Eyes says, "I know the address of my house, but the roads are really confusing. I'd appreciate it if you could show me the way."  
"Oh, okay." he replies simply, still watching the way the smile smoothes out the male's face in the gentle light, softening the curves of his cheekbones and the edges of his lips. "I'll walk you there then."  
"Thank you. By the way, I'm Tachibana Makoto." Mr-Green-Eyes-Also-Now-Known-As-Tachibana-Makoto says, perking up as he rubs the back of his neck. "May I have your name, Officer-san?"  
"M-Matsuoka Rin." he says, but his stunned mind is still repeating the words 'Officer-san, Officer-san' like a temple prayer on a stormy day. "Er, nice to meet you."  
Makoto opens his mouth to reply, only to be interrupted by a loud snigger from behind them, courtesy of one rude big boss who had no sense of timing whatsoever. Jesus.  
"Have a nice trip, Matsuoka!" Seijuro hoots with gusto from his table, followed by a round of merry laughter and god, Rin swears to himself that he'll have all their heads when he gets back, stuffed and mounted under his table as footstools.   
Scowling, he pushes open the door and steps out, only vaguely aware of Makoto struggling to heave both his heavy suitcases (whoa, Rin didn't even notice them before) down the steps.   
"You need some help?" he asks, hands on his hips as Makoto's face turns into the likes of a tomato, stammering slightly as his fingers slip over the handles of his luggage.  
"I – no – I'm fine, thank you."  
Raising an eyebrow, Rin chooses not to press. 

* * *

And, well, to be painfully honest, the first few minutes of their walk is awkward as heck.   
The wheels of Makoto's obviously-crappy-as-fuck luggage bags catch one too many times on little pebbles on the pavement, and he winds up seated on the concrete, watching as Makoto tries to pick the jammed stones from the wheels with a stick, a frown crinkling between his brows (and oh, frowns are _such_ a terrible look on him, really). Rin doesn't really know what to do, doesn't have anything to say, so he seals his lips shut, swallows a little sigh, and waits as the silence between them grows pointedly thicker.  
Eventually they – Makoto, namely – manage to heave the bags further down the road, and Makoto sinks against a fence, lips pursed as if hiding his exhaustion—and to give him due credit, those bags did look awfully heavy, even for someone Makoto's build.  
Rin levels him with a slightly disapproving look. "You sure you don't need help with those?"  
The brunette shakes his head hard, soft hair flopping over his eyes. He blows them away with a gentle huff, "No, no. I'm fine, really. I don't want to trouble you."  
Sighing, Rin sweeps up his falling bangs and pinches his nose with his free hand, exhaling, "Trouble me? At the rate we're moving, you'd be troubling me a whole lot more if you keep this up." His gaze turns slightly wicked. "Y'know what? I'd carry _you_ and your luggage both if I have to. So hand it over."  
Makoto looks slightly stunned, his cheeks clouding with a pink that was lovely to behold (in Rin's opinion, at least), and breaking into another of his resigned smiles. "Oh. Well um, thank you then. For offering to carry my luggage. Not me." He draws out a low, low chuckle. "I don't think you'd be able to carry me, really."  
Rin swallows a cheeky 'Bet I could', snorts, and reaches over to catch his fingers on one of the luggage bags. "Maybe."   
He watches as Makoto tugs the remaining bag along, taking a few merry steps before whirling around and asking cautiously, molten eyes burning into his. "So, do you do this often?"   
They've fallen into a nice pace, dragging the bags behind them as the light gleaned from the sky and skittered across the pavement, settling around them in cheerful hues.  
"Do what?"  
Makoto has a habit of playing with the strap of his bag, fingers sliding down the buckles whenever he talks. His nails catch on a loose thread as he shrugs, "Bring lost people around?"   
"Well, I guess. There isn't much excitement in small towns like this."  
"You'd rather work with danger?" Makoto sounds genuinely puzzled, as if he'd never considered it.  
"Yeah. I'm a policeman. Danger's practically my middle name, so why the hell not?" Rin says, amusement soft in his eyes. "Wouldn't you?"  
Their gazes meet for a fraction of a second, and Rin catches something like genuine surprise in lively green, before Makoto draws away, looking pleasantly shy. "No, not really."  
A pause.  
"What's life here like then?"  
Rin blinks. Makoto's bangs have tumbled over his eyes messily, and Rin takes a second to look away, trying to hide the heat on his cheeks as Makoto fixates him with a positively earnest look. He curls his fingers under his chin, taking about three seconds to come up with a painfully honest reply. "Boring as fuck."  
Makoto does not wince at his language, tilting his head to a side instead, as if seeking elaboration. Rin would go on too, if he had any idea how to do so. He can only shrug noncommittally, before stating, "I dunno, it's bland. Like I said, nothing really happens here. It's quiet, but in a way that's really more boring than peaceful, especially when you've run out of places to see, y'know?"  
"And have you? Run out of places to see, that is."  
"Kind of," Rin admits, grip tightening on the handles of Makoto's suitcase. "I've been around so much that the sights are getting kinda stale. But people? Not so much. There're always new people, see?"  
Makoto makes a little 'o' with his round lips, before curving his smile up, just slightly. "New people? Like me?"  
Rin nods, returning a small smile of his own. "You, especially."  
And Makoto blushes, like he's taken it as a compliment. 

* * *

It turns out Makoto's new home is a small flat, tucked all the way in the corner of a silent street. Rin's seen it before—he'd once made small talk with the kindly old lady who used to owned it. The 'for sale' sign has been peeled away, leaving bits of beige plastered on the sky blue door.  
Makoto takes a moment to take in the whitewashed walls, the well-soaped windows, the pots and pots of morning glories that cheerily line the paved floor, and a crooked smile tugs on the side of his lips.  
"It's not very impressive, is it?" Rin remarks, to which Makoto offers a small shrug.   
"Well, it'll do." And – if Rin may add – it's practically disappointing, how he sounds so utterly content. "It's more than what I expected, honestly, so I'm thankful."  
"Suit yourself," Rin says, dragging Makoto's suitcase on the raggedy welcome mat. A dried leaf crinkles under his step, the sound brokenly harsh in the silent vicinity. "I'll uh...leave this here then."  
"Okay," Makoto reaches over, brushing on his fingers briefly as he tugs the bags into the flat with him. Rin catches sight of worn brown flooring, and a hint of dust lingers in the air, tinged with a mellow warmth, before Makoto turns back around, unintentionally blocking his view once more.   
Rin swallows a breath.   
"Thanks for coming all the way with me. And um, carrying my luggage. You've been a huge help." Makoto tilts his head and curves his gentle eyes into a smile—a genuinely bright one this time, and Rin thinks that _oh_ , he gives his pretty smiles away far too easily.   
Waving a lazy hand, Rin says, fighting a modest laugh, "Sure. You're welcome."  
"Well then, I'll see you around town, Rin!" Makoto grins, holding the door open as he waves. Rin blinks, for the umpteenth time, trying to memorise how it looked on him, the way light danced off the little dimples pulling on his cheeks. "For sure!"  
"Yeah. For sure." he echoes before he can stop himself, then pulls his hat down to hide the red of his cheeks as Makoto turns to gently swing the door shut.  
("Welcome home, Makoto," Rin whispers unwittingly when he thinks brunette isn't listening, but before the door closes, he catches another curve on Makoto's soft lips that is wider than it's supposed to be.)  
The damn blush lasts all the way back to the station.

**Author's Note:**

> I guess this fic is both Makoto being lost and being brought to his (new) home ehe...  
> Oh I'm so unforgivably late with this and I have no excuse ;v; I hope ppl enjoyed this nonetheless.   
> Tootles~!


End file.
